Daughter
by an.obsessed.fan
Summary: AU. Alanna's parents have always encouraged her to tell them everything. But they are keeping a secret much worse than anything she could ever dream of. Rated for adult themes and possible later violence.
1. Friendly Ghosts

Disclaimer: All characters, places and things to do with the Harry Potter universe are owned by JK Rowling, meaning all that you recognise does not belong to me.

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Note: This story does not take into account the invention of the Wolfsbane Potion.

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**PART ONE**

1. Friendly Ghosts

Alanna pulled her head under the covers. The noises were extra loud tonight, and they scared the four-year-old. The growling and scratching – it was too much.

The door opened, and Alanna froze. What if it was coming to get her? She took a deep breath. There were footsteps on the wooden floor, coming towards her, shuffling, scratch, scratch…

Alanna screamed as the covers were pulled back.

"Oh, Alanna!" Her mother scooped her up into her arms and kissed her hair. "What's wrong?"

The girl began to cry, and her mother rocked her and hushed her. "It's all right, darling, it's all right," she said. "What's wrong?"

"The noises are loud and scary," Alanna sobbed, clinging onto her mother's arms. "It's a monster and it's coming to get me."

"Oh, don't be scared," her mother said. "It's just the ghosts. The ghosts are playing a game tonight. You remember Sir Nicholas? They are just like him, and they won't hurt you."

Alanna's lip quivered as she looked up at her mother. "There are ghosts in our house?"

"Didn't I ever tell you?" her mother said, carefully putting her daughter back into bed and drawing up the covers. "When daddy and I bought the house, every night we heard strange sounds. There was scratching and bangs and laughing. But we could not find what was making the sound. Then one night, on the full moon, it was very loud. So your daddy and I got up and followed the noise to a little room upstairs. There, we found sixteen ghosts, all flying around and playing! When we talked to the ghosts, we told them that they were waking us up at night. They said they were sorry, and promised that they would only play games on the full moon. So it isn't monsters, it's just some friendly ghosts."

Alanna's blue eyes were wide, and she sat up, flinging the blankets away. "Can we go meet them?" she asked eagerly. Her mother laughed.

"No, we can't! The ghosts run away now when we try to talk to them. It's better if we leave them alone." She again tucked her daughter into the bed. "So promise me that you won't go looking for the ghosts?"

"Yes, I promise," Alanna answered. Her mother held out her hand.

"Shake my hand," she said. The girl did so, making the promise unbreakable. "Good girl. Now, go to sleep." Alanna's mother leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"How did the ghosts get there?" Alanna asked.

"That's a story for another day," her mother answered. "Now go to sleep!"

Alanna curled up in her bed as her mother quietly closed the door, no longer afraid of the scratching and howling.


	2. Hide and Seek

Disclaimer: All characters, places and things to do with the Harry Potter universe are owned by JK Rowling, meaning all you recognise does not belong to me.

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2. Hide-and-Seek

Nymphadora Lupin, or Tonks, as she still preferred to be called, stood at the front doorway, watching her six-year-old daughter play with the two girls who lived next door. They were playing hide-and-seek-tiggy, at suggestion of the older girl, Tania. Alanna was winning. Tonks smiled as she watched her daughter run towards the safety point, the front gate, with Poppy chasing after her. Alanna tagged the gate and spun, shouting at Poppy that she couldn't get her now, because she had touched the gate.

Tonks jumped as her husband came up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist.

"You frightened me!" she accused.

"You changed your hair again," Remus answered. "I hope you didn't do it in front of the neighbours."

"Of course not," she said, turning to look at him. There were no shadows under his eyes this morning, and (though it may have been wishful thinking) the grey in his hair seemed less. "I like it green."

"I've always liked it pink best," Remus replied.

Tonks looked back at their daughter. "She asked for the story about the ghosts again last night," she said slowly.

"At least she's never tried to meet the 'ghosts'."

Tonks sighed. "I wish we could tell her. I don't want her to learn about them from somewhere else, somewhere where she'll get the wrong idea."

"We've been through this before," Remus said sternly. "We agreed that it's best. I don't want her to go through what I went through at her age."

"I want to protect her as well, but how is keeping secrets the right thing? We've always encouraged her to tell us everything," Tonks replied. "And it's not the same as what you went through. She isn't going to be bitten…just told about you." She paused, and watched her daughter hide behind the hedge. "But she is so young…maybe you're right."

"We'll wait, but not for much longer," Remus said. "I promise."


	3. Meeting Professor Weasley

Disclaimer: All characters, places and things to do with the Harry Potter universe are owned by JK Rowling, meaning all you recognise does not belong to me.

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3. Meeting Professor Weasley

"Daddy, will I come here for school?" Alanna asked excitably, almost jumping up and down.

"Yes. We've had you on the list since you were born," her father answered, swinging her arm as they walked up the staircase.

"It will be so much fun, I can't wait!" Alanna declared, watching the moving paintings. She waved at them, and they smiled and waved back. "Only three more years! Did you come here?"

"Yes, so did your mother," her father answered. "You've been here before, when you were three. You went missing, and we found you in the dungeons, talking to Nearly Headless Nick."

"I don't remember."

"You never stopped talking about it." Her father stopped in front of a doorway. "Now, if you wait here while I talk to Professor Weasley, afterwards I'll take you to the kitchens to meet the house elves."

"Really?" Alanna said, now hopping from foot to foot.

"Yes, I promise."

"Promise promise?"

"Yes."

"Shake hands?"

Alanna shook hands with her father, then contently sat down beside the door. "I'll wait right here!"

Her father smiled and went through the door. Alanna watched the paintings, and, fortunately, when she got bored of them, a ghost floated past her. He was covered with bloodstains, and didn't even glance at Alanna as he passed her.

After a few minutes, the door opened and her father stepped out, followed by a young witch with long, red hair and bright brown eyes. She was about the same height as Alanna's father, and her smile was bright and pretty.

"So you are Alanna," the witch said, holding out her hand. Alanna jumped to her feet. "I am Ginny."

Alanna shook the witch's hand as her father added, "But you will call her Professor Weasley when you come to Hogwarts."

"I'll teach you Charms," Ginny said.

"I can't wait to come to Hogwarts!" Alanna said.

"Neither could I!" Ginny replied. "I'll be very happy to have you in my class." She turned to Alanna's father. "Well, I'd best get back to work."

"We're going down to the kitchens," Alanna's father said. "Be sure to drop in sometime soon. Dora wants to see you."

"I will," Ginny said, smiling. "Have fun in the kitchens, Alanna. And don't eat too much!"


End file.
